Machine-pluggable electronic package having a mechanical interlock

ABSTRACT

A machine-pluggable electronic package for sliding engagement into a machine having a first electrical connector and first and second locking means. The package comprises a first electrical connector, a second electrical connector positioned on the package so that the second electrical connector can be connected to a connector outside of the machine and a lever. The lever has first and second locking means and is pivotably mounted on the package so that when the lever is moved in a first direction the first locking means of the lever engages the first locking means of the machine and locks the package in the machine and engages the first electrical connector of the package with the first electrical connector of the machine. When the lever is moved in a second direction the second locking means of the lever engages the second locking means of the machine and disengages the first electrical connector of the package from the first electrical connector of the machine and unlocks the package from the machine.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to machine electrical connection and moreparticularly relates to a device for facilitating the connection and thelocking of a package, including electronic components, to a machine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The prior art is replete with devices facilitating the electricalconnection of a package or a circuit card to a base machine. A typicalexample of such a device is shown in an article by G. J. Clair in IBMTechnical disclosure bulletin (Vol. 27 No. 6 November 1984, pages3536-3538), which discloses an enclosure designed to carry a circuitcard and to provide easily applied force for plugging, unplugging andsecuring the card in place by simple lever action and without the use ofany tool.

The prior art also discloses electrical interlocks to prevent theremoval of the cover of a machine without turning off the power andunplugging the device from the power source, notably a wall socket etc.EP-A-176676 discloses an electrical interlock which insures that thepower cord is removed from the machine before a functional package,containing electronic components, can be removed or inserted into themachine.

However, the prior art does not disclose a simple device which bothallows an easy plugging and unplugging of a functional packagecontaining electronic components, and requires that any electricalconductor, such as a power cord or a telecommunication cable, be removedfrom the machine before the functional package can be removed orinserted in the machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide means facilitating theinsertion and the removal of a functional package containing electroniccomponents in an electronic machine.

It is another object of the invention to provide a simple device forlocking the functional package into the electronic machine.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a simple deviceinsuring that an electrical conductor, such as a power cord ortelecommunication cable, is removed from the machine before thefunctional package can be removed or inserted into the machine.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided amachine-pluggable electronic package for sliding engagement into amachine having a first electrical connector and first and second lockingmeans. The package comprises a first electrical connector, a secondelectrical connector positioned on the package so that the secondelectrical connector can be connected to a connector outside of themachine and a lever. The lever has first and second locking means and ispivotably mounted on the package so that when the lever is moved in afirst direction the first locking means of the lever engages the firstlocking means of the machine and locks the package in the machine andengages the first electrical connector of the package with the firstelectrical connector of the machine. When the lever is moved in a seconddirection the second locking means of the lever engages the secondlocking means of the machine and disengages the first electricalconnector of the package from the first electrical connector of themachine and unlocks the package from the machine.

The lever extends adjacent to the second electrical connector so thatwhen such connector is connected to the connector outside of themachine, the lever cannot be moved to disengage the package.

Other objectives, advantages and applications of the present inventionwill be made apparent by the following detailed description of thepreferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a base machine adapted to receive themachine-pluggable electronic package of the invention.

FIG. 2a and 2b are two perspective views of the functional package ofthe invention showing respectively the front and the rear side.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the different elements of the functionalpackage according to the invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the functional package according tothe invention taken along line 4--4 in FIG. 2b.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the functional package insidethe recess of the cavity of the base machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

To face with the increasing need of customers in highly sophisticatedtechnology, while assuring a good deal of profit generated by massproduction, electronic suppliers have a tendancy to provide products inlarge quantities which products are nevertheless likely to satisfynumerous different requirements. For instance, in the field oftelecommunication products, the concept of Integrated Services DigitalNetworks (I.S.D.N.), resulting from the on-going process ofdigitalization of telephone networks, which process started in the earlysixties, will provide in every customer's home the possibility ofconnection to the future network and thus will allow the customer toaccess large public telecommunications services. Therefore,telecommunication suppliers will have to market in large quantities,adapters designed to allow the I.S.D.N network connection for largequantities of telecommunication Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) havingdifferent protocols and standards, such as V24, V35 or X21 standards asdefined by the CCITT. Telecommunication product suppliers will thereforehave to provide modular equipment, or functional packages, containingelectronic components specific to particular protocols, and which whenplugged into a base machine will allow the connection of a particularData Terminal Equipment (for instance V35), to the I.S.D.N network.Since such products are marketed in large quantities and are intended tobe used by general public, a need has appeared for a simple and low-costdevice allowing an user to easily insert and remove a functional packageor a circuit card, while assuring a good protection of the electroniccomponents inside the package against hot plugging or unplugging as wellas the protection of the user against electrical shocks.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly FIG. 1, a machine, inthe illustrated instance a telecommunication adapter designed to beconnected to a digital network, is illustrated therein. As shown, themachine or I.S.D.N. adapter 10 has its rear side, cavities or recessesin which functional packages 12, 13 and 14 can be housed. In anexemplary embodiment of the invention, each of functional packages 12and 13 may contain electronic components mounted on a printed circuitboard and allowing the connection of the machine 10 to a Data TerminalEquipment (DTE), not shown, by means of cable 50, as illustrated in FIG.5. Functional package 14 contains electronic components allowing theconnection of the machine to a digital network. Two perspective views ofa typical functional package are shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b.

As shown in FIG. 3, each of functional packages 12, 13 or 14 includes aprinted circuit board 31 on which are mounted electronic components. Afirst connector 32, adapted to pluggably receive a male connector 54(see FIG. 5) secured to the base machine 10, is fixed to board 31, andallows the connection of the electronic components in the functionalpackage to the components in machine 10. In an exemplary embodiment ofthe invention, the printed circuit board 31 is protected by a housingcomprising a top cover 33 and a bottom cover 34 which are fixed togetheras by a screw 37. The printed circuit board 31 further includes a secondconnector 35, designed to connect the functional package to an outsideequipment by means of cable 50. As will be understood by those skilledin the art, the nature of the components mounted on the printed circuitboard 31, will determine the functional characteristics of thecorresponding functional package and, hence, the type of equipment withwhich that package will be capable to be connected. A front plate 36protects the rear side of the functional pack.

In accordance with the invention, each of the functional packages 12, 13or 14 may be plugged into and removed from its associated cavity withinmachine 10 by means of a lever 38. As discussed in detail hereinafter,lever 38 is structured so that the magnitude of the force to be exertedby an operator to insert or remove the functional package is a smallfraction of the magnitude of the force required to plug or unplugconnectors 32 and 54. Without such an arrangement, the operator wouldhave to exert a force of about 20 Newtons to connect or disconnect thepackage.

Lever 38 comprises a handle 39 designed to be operator grippable and, asshown in FIG. 3, two upwardly extending side arms 40, each connected ata first end thereof to handle 39. Each arm 40 carries a laterallyextending pivot stud 41 and is provided at its second end with twoupwardly projecting tooth elements 42, 43. Each pivot stud 41 isreceived in and cooperates with a pivot aperture formed in thelongitudinally extending side of the functional package housing.Preferably, each pivot aperture is obtained by machining, within the topand bottom covers, two semi-circular notches which, upon assembling thetop and bottom covers together, will form a single circular aperture forreceiving pivot stud 41.

Each tooth element 42, 43 is positioned with respect to its associatedarm 40 and stud 41 so that, upon clockwise rotation (as shown in FIG. 4)of lever 38 around studs 41, it will penetrate into an associatedelongated aperture 45 formed within the top face of top cover 33, whileduring the same clockwise rotation, tooth element 42 will leave itsassociated aperture 44.

As best shown in FIG. 5, the handle portion 39 of lever 38 is locatedwith respect to connector 35 so that the presence of a connector pluggedinto connector 35 will prevent the lever 38 from being rotatedcounterclockwise as shown in FIG. 5. It should be noted thatcounterclockwise rotation brings the handle of the lever 38 to its upperposition. For some type of small connectors 35, it may be necessary toprovide handle portion 39 with a supplementary upwardly extendingprotrusion part 59 which, by engaging the connector body, will preventthe rotation of handle portion 39, while not preventing plugging andunplugging of the connector 56 and its cable 50.

FIG. 5 also shows that the cavity of machine 10 in which functionalpackage 12, 13, 14 is received, is delimited by at least an upper wall55 and a lower wall 60. Extending from upper and lower wall 55 and 60are package guiding means which can take the form of channel means inwhich package 12, 13 or 14 can be slidably inserted. It should beunderstood that such channel means must be sized with respect to thedimensions of package 12, 13 or 14 so that they will permit only alongitudinal movement of the package within its cavity. Upper wall 55 isprovided with a downward extending rail element 51. Rail element 51extends transversely to the functional package guiding means. The heightof rail 51 is such that both its edges 52 and 53 interfere with toothelement 42, 43 of lever 38, unless the latter has been rotated topositions where the tooth elements 42, 43 will have cleared the edges ofrail 51.

Referring to FIG. 5, the operation of the device will now be described.The package is inserted into its associated cavity of machine 10 withlever 38 in its upper position, until tooth element 42 of lever 38engages edge 53, at which time any further insertion of the package isprevented. At this point, lever 38 is rotated to its lower position asillustrated in FIG. 5. During that rotation, tooth element 43 firstengages the lower corner of edge portion 52 of rail 51. Any furtherrotation of lever 38 will forcibly engage tooth element 42 with edge 52and will create a torque which, in turn, will generate a longitudinalforce. This force will further move the functional package within itsassociated cavity and will result in the plugging of connectors 32 and54. Conversely, the removal of the package is achieved by rotating lever38 towards its upper position. The engagement of element 42 with railedge 53 will generate a torque which will assist in the extraction ofthe package from the machine 10 without requiring any substantial efforton the part of the operator.

When connector 54 is plugged into connector 32, a connector 56 may beplugged into connector 35 of functional package 14, assuring theconnection of the machine to the digital network by means of a cable 50.However, the insertion or extraction of this package in or out of themachine, when the cable 50 is plugged, may cause the occurrence ofvoltage spikes due to excessive momentary loads. This may damage ordestroy some internal components of the machine, or worst of all, badlyinjure the user. This problem is solved in the present invention by thepresence of a protrusion 59, which prevents, as long as connector 56remains plugged, the rotation of lever 38, and hence, the extraction ofthe functional package. Similarly, due to protrusion 59, the insertionof the package into the base machine can only be performed when maleconnector 56 is not plugged in its corresponding female connector plug35. It should be understood that connector 56 and its cable 50 must bedisconnected from the functional package 14 before same can be removedor inserted into the machine.

It is to be understood that variations and modifications of the presentinvention can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.It is also to be understood that the scope of the invention is not to beinterpreted as limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, butonly in accordance with the appended claims when read in light of theforegoing disclosure.

We claim:
 1. An electronic package adapted to be connected to a machineand to an external connector, said machine having a cavity therein forreceiving said package, a first electrical connector for connection tosaid package, and first and second locking means extending into saidcavity, said first electrical connector being located at one end of saidcavity, said package comprising:a housing of a shape adapted to fit intosaid cavity; a printed circuit board mounted within said housing andhaving electronic components thereon; a second electrical connectormounted at one end of said housing and being connected to said printedcircuit board, said second electrical connector being adapted to matewith said first electrical connector upon said package being insertedinto said cavity; a third electrical connector mounted on said housingat another end thereof and being adapted to mate with said externalelectrical connector to establish an electrical connection between saidpackage and equipment outside said machine; and a lever mounted on saidhousing and being movable between first and second positions, said leverhaving first and second lever locking means, and first lever lockingmeans being adapted to engage said first locking means on said machineand move said package in said cavity so as to engage said first andsecond electrical connectors upon movement of said lever from said firstposition to sid second position, said first lever locking means beingoperative to prevent sid package from being removed from said machinewhile said lever is in said second position, said second lever lockingmeans being adapted to engage said second locking means on said machineupon movement of said lever from said second position to said firstposition and disengage said first and second electrical connectors, saidlever having a portion located adjacent to said third electricalconnector when sid lever is in said second position which portion isadapted to engage said external connector and prevent said lever frombeing moved from said second position when said third electricalconnector is connected to said external connector, and thereby preventsaid package from being removed from said machine without firstdisengaging said external connector.
 2. A package in accordance withclaim 1, wherein said lever comprises: a side arm having said first andsecond lever locking means and a pivot stud; and wherein said housingcomprises a first partial cover having a notch and a second partialcover having a notch positioned so that when said first partial coverand said second partial cover are assembled said notch in said firstpartial cover and said notch in said second partial cover for anaperture for receiving said pivot stud.
 3. A package in accordance withclaim 2, wherein said first lever locking means is a first tooth elementand sid second lever locking means is a second tooth element, andwherein one of said first and second partial covers comprises first andsecond aperture positioned so that when said lever is moved in a firstdirection said first tooth element extends through said first apertureand when said lever is moved in a second direction said first toothelement is withdrawn from said first aperture and said second toothelement is inserted through said second aperture.
 4. A package inaccordance with claim 3, wherein said first and second tooth elementsextend through said first and second apertures to respectively engagesaid first and second locking means on said machine.
 5. A package inaccordance with claim 1 wherein said lever is generally U shaped and hasa handle extending across said another end of said housing adjacent tosaid third connector and two side arms pivotally mounted on sides ofsaid housing, said first and second lever locking means being located onsaid side arms.
 6. A package in accordance with claim 5 wherein saidhousing is elongated and is adapted to cooperate with guides on saidmachine so that said package can be slid into said cavity, said leverbeing operative upon rotation thereof between said first and secondpositions to translate such rotation into linear movement of saidpackage into and out of said cavity.
 7. A package in accordance withclaim 5 wherein said portion of said lever comprises a protrusion onsaid handle, said protrusion being adapted to engage said externalconnector.